Napoli scored twice in 120 seconds with Gokhan Inler and Gonzalo Higuain to wipe out Marseille’s surprise opener.
The Partenopei knew this was a must-win match in an extremely tight Group F, especially as Marseille had lost all three in this group. Juan Camilo Zuniga, Giandomenico Mesto and Miguel Angel Britos were injured, but Marek Hamsik and Valon Behrami were surprisingly benched. The French side missed Lucas Mendes and Rod Fanni, opting for the Ayew brothers rather than Andre-Pierre Gignac.
Jose Maria Callejon had a volley charged down by Jeremy Morel in the opening minute, then Dries Mertens skimmed the far post with his angled drive.
However, Marseille took a shock lead after 10 minutes with Andre Ayew meeting a corner for the glancing header into the far top corner. He beat Christian Maggio in the air.
Mertens fired straight at Steve Mandanda and the goalkeeper smothered at Callejon’s feet on a Gokhan Inler through ball.
The pressure paid off from a corner. Mandanda performed a great reaction save on Federico Fernandez’s downward header, but it came out to Inler for a wonderful chest and volley from the edge of the box. The Swiss midfielder celebrated by displaying the jersey of teammate Mesto, who had surgery this week and will be out for at least four months.
Napoli turned the situation around completely when Inler won back possession in the centre-circle off Mathieu Valbuena, the Goran Pandev knock-down was deflected and Higuain watched the ball come down for a precise volley. They had gone from 1-0 down to 2-1 up in just 120 seconds.
Jordan Ayew fired a counter-attack straight at Pepe Reina, while Higuain was flagged offside during a very promising opportunity.
Napoli 2-1 Marseille (Half-Time)
Scorers: A Ayew 10 (M), Inler 22 (N), Higuain 24 (N)
Napoli: Reina; Maggio, Albiol, Fernandez, Armero; Inler, Dzemaili; Callejon, Pandev, Mertens; Higuain
Marseille: Mandanda; Abdallah, N’Koulou, Diawara, Morel; Romao, Cheyrou; Thauvin, Valbuena, J Ayew; A Ayew
Ref: Karasev (RUS)
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